Chapter 31: Against a crimson tide - A killer amongst killers
<3D: 0H: 0M: 0S>
"Where was he taken from?" Asked Eren.
"His home. Baelor had asked me to watch over him. When I went to check up on him there was signs of a struggle and blood." For a haggard man who looks as though he is one cold night away from death, he spoke with such assuredness.
"Take me there."
Baelor was left the body of the wolf man; Eren knew he would put it too good use.
"Eren, be careful. They are getting desperate. When a caged animal is backed into a corner; carnage is sure to follow." Words from a sage such as him should not be ignored. Eren nodded, with all the due haste they departed.
Now his top priority was to find Jun and his sister. Night was at its peak and yet clouds still covered the moon.
"They're watching the apartment... around the corner." A darkened corner, the faint light of a cigarette, if the light didn't give them away, then the smell would have. Clearly, stealth skills inferior to the wolves.
Eren left the man behind, taking a darkened road to avoid the eyes. Inside, was much like a crime scene. Torn doors, overturned furniture, spilt rice, but the most telling of all. Spilled blood.
Along the floor in long strokes of scarlet. Two people, forced out of a home. Eren entered further, wanting to find something, anything that could give him a clue to their whereabouts. Stepping through the broken threshold; his reaper eyes gave a gruesome tale, playing an image in his mind. Clashes with desperate manoeuvres with just enough luck to fend off one, only for another to step in.
Thrown against the wall leaving a crater with hair and blood. Kitchen ransacked in panic to grab anything within reach. Frying pan still had strands of hair and the tiniest spot of blood. Pan broken in two then landed on the floor with a thud. Blood skids converging until out the door.
There was nothing for Eren to work with. However, as he left for the door a brick wall of a man stepped in. Eyes meeting at the door.
"Жнец." (Reaper)
'Another ranker.' An unfamiliar face to him. A different aura to the blood pack and the bandits too. Where he could sense the cunning and hunger of a wolf, this man.
All Eren felt was something that caused him to stand tall, arms loose. Wary and ever vigilant, as he prepared for a fight.
Panic took one look behind the reaper, examining the damage.
"Crimson took boy, took girl. Gone too gate by ocean." Help?
Eren expected many things but help wasn't one of them.
"Where? When? Why?"
"Follow ocean till you get to склад, three hours ago..." Panic looked over his shoulder, not wanting the other crimson bandits to overhear. Turning back once more to the reaper, he had vanished. Just a slight flicker of shadow on the concrete wall was all that remained of the reaper's presence.
"...Паника не причиняет вреда гражданскому населению." (Panic does not harm civilians)
"You killed him yet? Oi where is he?!" Hiro would appear from the corner, hollering at Panic.
"Sir, I swear I saw him enter the residence." Another bandit rounded the corner. Hiro took a deep breath their numbered days taking a toll on all.
"There is nothing." Panic left without another word; Hiro followed close behind.
'Увидимся, жнец.' ('See you, reaper.')
Eren watched them leave from the roof. Unsure what to think of the new addition to his growing list of enemies. A potential enemy that refuses to kill civilians. Then why on earth was he with the bandits?
A question for another day however. Right now, Jun and Mei were important. From the sound of the Russian, Eren suspected an ambush awaited.
The trek was quicker. Sliding down from the roofs onto the concrete; barely any slow to momentum. Legs bent and slid along the floor, racing, no fear of catching himself on cracks or uneven streets. However, Panics words gave halt to his sudden boost.
'Civilians.' Panics words rang over and over again.
Jun was barley a ranker and Mei most certainly wasn't. Neither could kill, not like him. Perhaps a chance, a chance for the law to be a foothold in the territory.
~
Baelor, do you have the number of detective Akiko Bennet?
Of course. What do you require?
A message.
~
***
"BHHA, that's some good shit." Mai took a heavy gulp of her beer. Four of the RFC sat in a bar near HQ, letting off all the steam from the week. Akiko, Kenji, Mai, and Luca.
"This overtime is gonna be the death of us." Kenji concurred, placing another order of beer.
"Tell me about it." Luca gulped down some gyoza; deep fried pork gyoza that always seemed to hit the spot after a long week.
"If Mai keeps drinking, she's the one that's gonna die." Kenji kept eyeing her bottle which seemed to find itself becoming lighter and lighter.
The bar they sat in was a frequent spot for police personnel. Old wooden flooring, warm glow of hanging lights that wobbled gently. Walls littered with paraphernalia, photographs of officers and guild members, and other souvenirs from travels long passed. This wasn't just any old bar, it was as Mai would call it, 'home.' Mainly because she would frequently get wasted enough to fall asleep on the floor.
However, they often sat separated from the main mass. Preferring instead to cluster in a back booth. Far from prying and jeers of their colleagues. For the best maybe, for Akiko was enjoying her alcohol in relative peace and quiet. Trying to think about anything other than work.
"What's wrong Aki? You've barely touched your beer. Mai is eyeing it like a hawk." Kenji asked.
Aki wasn't usually the loudest but there was always a wise quip or thoughtful conversation to be had with her.
"Yeah Aki, no cop shit tonight." Mai swiped away her phone, urging her to drink.
"Come on Mai, if she doesn't want to drink then-"
"Don't be a buzzkill my lovely Italian man. Besides... If you can get me and Aki drunk... We can start making out." That shut Luca up real quick, turning his cheeks a furious red. A sly smirk upon her lips as she enjoyed watching him squirm.
"Boys are all the same; try not to strain that brain of yours thinking."
Flustered cheeks from Aki and Kenji.
"MAI!" Everyone roared.
"Drinking now. Can't get into trouble when drinking. Drink. Drink." Mai encouraged.
"Fuck. What do I care." Three cheers all joined in, beers knocking against each other.
*Buzz* *Buzz*
Akiko reached for her phone, whilst Mai dangled it high in the air.
"No, drinking now." Mai slurred. Kenji rose to grab it off her,
"Quick Aki, no shop talk."
~
Hello? Detective Akiko Bennet speaking
...Do you truly want to make a difference in this city?
What? Who is this?
Come to the harbor gate; Desolate Dry Dock. Two innocent civilians are being held within.
Wait, what are you-
The Reaper will be there. Hurry along now detective.
Wait-
~
Aki stared down at her phone. 'Reaper, innocent civilians...' Words that called her to duty, drunk or not she knew her task. Standing abruptly,
"Huh, were do you think you're going." Mai eyed Akiko through narrow, scrutinizing eyes.
"Something has come up. Urgent, sorry." Grabbing her badge and gun at her side.
"Wait their missy!" Mai stumbled over herself to stop her.
Aki couldn't risk bringing her team; drunk and disorderly. Having only had a couple, she was only half impaired by its effects. Pushing herself through the masses of officers. This was her problem to deal with, not wanting to endanger another.
"Aki? Where are you going?" Kenji called.
"Sorry! Got a lead!" That was the last words Kenji, Mai and Luca would hear before the slamming wooden door.
Left wondering where their friend had left too. 'I got this...' Aki thought, assuring herself that this was the only course of action. Her training kicking in.
***
Inside the gate:
---
Gate info:
Opening time: Once a week for 3 days.
Danger level: F+++
Location: Desolate Dry Docks
Owners: Crimson bandits
Last clear: 6 years ago
Rewards: Fogless fish; Perfect for cooking
Gate closing time: 00: 07: 35: 15
---
Jun and Mei sat on knees; bound at the wrists and ankles; bruised. Blue and purple marks still flowering across their bodies. Kept in a dank room, deep within the bowels of an abandoned ship. Sitting atop the still muddy concrete.
A room filled with tools of their captors. Whips, saws, hooks, bolts, hammers. So many ways to kill, yet so little time.
"Are you alright?" Mei asked.
"Just stay quiet." A single word might bring their captors back into the room. Jun knew that his master would save him; his master saved him once before. There is nothing that Reaper couldn't save them from.
'He will come.' The thought drummed over and over inside Jun's mind. The only hope in a dark place. However, Mei still shivered. Whether from cold or fear; still they shivered.
*Clank*
Mei jumped at the sudden sound. The metal doors unlocking and dragging along the floor.
"Good evening my two little lambs." Their captor finally revealed. As with the rest of his guild, adorned with the crimson of the guild; long trench coat, black from the side. Skinny and pale like he had gone without the sun for years. Silver eyes shone despite low light, like snake eyes; shifting between them, prey for his twisted desire.
"W-Who are y-you?" Mei, trying to speak even against the fear.
"Me? Oh, where are my manners. I don't have a name... You can call me the one who paints." Finger tracing his knife as he spoke.
'What a fucking lunatic. Thee one who paints is a shit name.'
Whilst Jun was busy not trying to piss himself with laughter, Mei kept herself low, silent, and still. A pose not gone unnoticed by the painter.
"Are you afraid little lamb? Fear not, you shall become beautiful under my gaze. A beauty so bold they shall talk about it for years to come. The killer with no name and his bold works of art." Whilst that speech might excite a toddler, Jun was left to suppress a snarky laugh.
Mei meet his eyes for only a moment. Eyes wide in fright, then something else caught her eye. A pause on something beyond the artist, then a sly smirk. Mei's attention returned to the painter.
"A painter you say. We've never seen your works of art. Why should we care?"
"Hush, you filthy lamb. They whisper about me." Leaning forward towards the siblings with his knife glinting a murderous light.
"Mei?"
'What is she trying to do?'
With the subtle shift of gaze towards a corner on the roof, Jun followed. Within a darkened corner was two azure eyes; gazing like daggers at the back of the painter.
'He made it.'
"Such a big knife... Think it's compensating for something." Mei got braver, much to the fury of the painter.
"Little lamb, those words shall only make your suffering so much more-"
"You must have a small pecker, cause only someone with a little pecker would need to compensate with such a large knife." The painter turned to Mei; eyes twitching.
"Girl, you dare mock the artistry of my-"
"Who calls themselves the painter. Your name fucking sucks." Jun joined in. Now both siblings looked at each other with knowing eyes. Reaper is here and they were safe, now they could piss off their would-be killer.
"No-one has even heard of your 'works'. Spending all your time inside a-"
"Silence! Your foolish, filthy lamb. You could never be enlightened to my wonders. I have painted many masterpieces-"
"Where?" Jun interrupted. "If they were any good then surely people will know of your shit name."
The painter had begun to turn; from calm and measured movements to heavy steps and clenched fist. All his bravado, snobbish artistry seemed to quell to those of a small boy wanting to swing his fists but couldn't. Not yet.
"Y-you... They wanted me to take my time with you; turn you into my finest pieces. A message for that filthy reaper to stop hunting. But I see know."
Reaching for a long bone saw, shining amongst the overhanging light. "I must create a work of croquis, quickly, so your innards can be a testament to me."
The reaper landed silently behind as the painter sized up Mei's scalp. "I think I'll start with the top. Peeling off your lovely little skin will take but a minute." The siblings not giving an utterance of fear; further driving the painter into frustration.
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE SMILING-" Eren grabbed the artists wrist. Squeezing until a satisfying pop and crunch.
"Your here... They said that- *CRUNCH* ARGHHHH!" Wrist bending in unnatural ways. The Reaper slowly spun their killer. Turning him to face each other.
"W-Wait. Ple-" *TWHACK* A swift, blurred, iron clad punch straight to the artists temple. Instant death, for a man with no name no status.
Turning to the siblings on the floor, a quick whip strike releasing the bonds.
"Thank you, Reaper." Both siblings took an embrace around their saviour. As always Eren wanted to push them away, awkwardly struggling to lift his arms around them.
"H-how did you find us?
No response instead turning to Mei, "Why do they fear a countdown?" His words had more than their usual impact. Fear swept into her like a chilling breeze.
"Oh... Well, I thought with everything going on... I'd have a bit of revenge, for everything those bandits have done. I may have told them that a countdown was triggered."
The Reaper stood unamused by her reveal, still quiet, unmoving. "Don't worry about that now, the reaper will lead us back."
"No."
"No?"
"She will." The reaper began to leave into the shadows, leaving the siblings. "Freeze!" Detective Akiko burst into the room. Gun primed in both hands, locking onto the Reaper. However, the Reaper entered the shadows.
"I said- Shit, where is he?" Akiko spun in all directions, finding no trace.
"Are you two alright?" Akiko rushed over, only seeing Jun and Mei on the floor. "Yeah, thank you detective." Akiko looked on edge, despite only the three of them that remained.
"Did you see anyone else. The reaper-"
"Yeah, the reaper saved us. Good thing he showed up." Jun and Mei laughed. Whilst Akiko didn't think of it as a laughing matter. In truth the phone call had her spooked her.
'Why did he bring me here?'
An answer that would escape her for now. Yet to Eren, a confirmation on what he already knew. The law here could not be relied upon; too slow was the detective, if not for him then who would have saved them? This world didn't need heroes. It needed fear for those in shadows.